A lab at the Kansas University is working on producing flexible panels that will be more cost-effective than current silicon models, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported. The technology they are using would print a “solar ink” on a panel and use that to generate electricity.

So far, the printed panels aren’t as efficient as silicon ones, but they require less labor to produce and install, lowering costs, said Shenqiang Ren, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Kansas. If costs fall, solar power could begin to make sense outside the areas where it already has taken off, he said.

After testing the panels in the lab and in real-world settings, a for-profit partner will work with the university to scale up production to commercial levels. They could have some of the same applications as traditional solar panels, but they also have the potential for creating portable units that military units or even campers could use.

“The research is very exciting,” he said.

Utilities also are studying the energy source, with Westar Energy making $1 million in grants to 15 schools and nonprofits around Kansas. The money will be used to install solar setups that have capacities ranging from 10 to 30 kilowatts.

The data will be available to residents and business owners who are thinking of installing solar panels and want to know what kind of results they can expect, said Gina Penzig, spokeswoman for Westar. Westar also has panels on its own building for research purposes, she said, but doesn’t plan to use solar energy on a large scale unless the cost becomes competitive with wind energy.

Each group receiving a grant can decide whether to place its system on the ground or on rooftops, so long as they choose a sunlit location, and will set its own timeline for the work, Penzig said. The systems likely won’t produce enough to replace conventional power sources for the nearby buildings, she said.

“This was meant to be a supplemental energy source,” she said.